


Fate

by eleasofia



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Canon Compliant, Injury, M/M, Post-Canon, Red String of Fate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 12:40:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9124000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eleasofia/pseuds/eleasofia
Summary: If he was the protagonist of a love story, he'd probably say now that the first time he saw Oikawa, he had immediately known that they were meant to be. For what, he didn't know. If fated lovers really existed, there surely had to be fated rivals as well.





	

Almost fifteen years ago, he had stepped onto a volleyball court for the first time; 7 years old, eager, ambitious, somewhere between wanting to reach for the stars and not really aware of what he might be able to achieve one day. It didn't take him long to understand that volleyball was not just a hobby to him, and without realising it, it soon became the one thing in his life that would fulfill him like nothing else could.

In the beginning, he worked hard to accomplish something he didn't even know what it was yet. However, the moment he entered middle school and joined a strong team full of amazing players, he began to dream. Originally, he had started out with simply wishing to become a decent player, but the hunger for victory and the will to improve were growing even faster than his body. And when he met Oikawa Tooru, he knew he wanted to surpass him one day. While the older boy was aiming for higher and even higher stages, it was only natural for Kageyama to dream bigger himself, too.

If he was the protagonist of a love story, he'd probably say now that the first time he saw Oikawa, he had immediately known that they were meant to be. For what, he didn't know. But actually, all that had happened the first time they had met was that Kageyama had sealed his own fate, had doomed himself to a life completely dedicated to volleyball. There were a lot of things he had missed out on because of that, and he surely had put a lot of obstacles in his own way, but he didn't regret any of it. In fact, he didn't feel like this was something he could've changed. If fated lovers really existed, there surely had to be fated rivals as well. 

Over time he had learned that Oikawa was facing different walls and demons than he was, but that didn't change that no matter how many times either of them would fall, they'd both get up quickly and continue treading their paths with their heads held high as ever. Sometimes he wondered if he was even walking on his own or if it was Oikawa who was pulling him along by some kind of invisible cord. 

A total of six official games throughout high school and college in which they had faced each other had led up to three wins and three losses. After studying on a sports scholarship, Oikawa had went straight into the Japanese V.league, and Kageyama had naturally followed him two years later like he always did. He had absolutely no doubt that he would be playing against Oikawa's team at least twice a year from now on. It almost felt like this was going to last forever. 

Stepping onto a court for the first time as a professional volleyball player had been beyond description. Playing at the nationals in high school or college was absolutely nothing compared to it. There were a lot more people in the stands, all of them equipped with clap banners and cheering loudly, trying to outdo the music that was playing. The noises filling the gym were almost ear-splitting. There was a stadium announcer too and cheerleaders as well. Everything was huge. 

And it suddenly felt like he was starting to live his dream. Of course, he wasn't completely satisfied with it since he still aimed for international tournaments, but being able to play on a stage like this felt like pure bliss. Oddly, he never had problems to concentrate although everything around him was so overwhelming. After his first game as a starter and three service aces in a row, people had already noticed him. Hinata had never failed to shout a "Go, killer serve!", and during the second game the people in the stands had joined in. 

Two months into the season he had even made it on the cover of volleyball monthly. They were announcing the "Duel of the Kings", and while he'd been upset about his nickname for many years, in this context he really didn't mind. It made him happy that the fans were apparently waiting for this just as much as he was. Barely able to contain his excitement, he spent the two weeks before their game in a never-ending rush of adrenaline. 

It reached its peak when he actually entered the gym on the day of the match. Their teams were lined up and waiting to bow down right before the game when he looked at Oikawa, and Oikawa was actually looking right back at him, a little smile on his lips. Kageyama knew that his senpai was somewhat fond of him, although their relationship had always been kind of twisted. While they had never been close to each other, they had never really gone separate ways either, and Kageyama was strangely sure that Oikawa valued that as much as he did himself.

Standing close to each other, only separated by the thin net, Oikawa wished him good luck because he would be needing it, a shit-eating grin spread across his face. There was this bubbly feeling in Kageyama's chest, and while he usually never found the right words to say, telling Oikawa to better be vigilant somehow was the easiest thing in the world. The game started and he couldn't imagine anything greater than this. Everything about this was just _right_ , so incredibly right that somewhere in his ecstasy he had failed to notice the pain in his leg that had increased over the past weeks. 

Memories from high school came rushing back to him when he jumped to push the ball over the net, and Oikawa was the one he was jostling with. He was grinning like he had back then, and this time Kageyama was able to return it. Even greater joy washed over him when he saw that he had managed to use Oikawa's power to push the ball back into his direction, and it was falling to the ground on the opposite site of the net. 

A second later, his right leg made contact with the floor again but gave in under his bodyweight, causing him to fall down and to find himself on eye-level with the ball. The pain that was shooting through his leg was intense like nothing he had ever felt before, and for a moment everything around him went pitch black.

While everybody else was still staring in shock, Oikawa was already beside him, kneeling on the ground and gripping his hand tightly. It was the first time Kageyama heard him say his name without his usual mocking tone of voice, and as much as this was endearing, it was also terrifying because he sounded so deeply concerned. Everyone in the gym fell silent, and when he slowly opened his watery eyes, he saw somewhere out of the corner of his eye how people were rushing over to him. Everything was in slow motion. Everything was a blur. 

He was well aware that right now a lot of people were aching for him, but he was also pretty sure that there was only one person who truly understood that the real pain wasn't even coming from his knee. 

"How bad is it?" Oikawa whispered.

Kageyama closed his eyes again, which caused the tears he had been holding back to roll down his cheeks. He was smiling widely, sneering at himself for honestly believing that after fifteen years of excessive training a major injury was something that would never happen to him. There were no words needed because the moment he had fallen, Oikawa had been pulled along with him by a foreign power. Both of them already knew. 

A way too familiar pain spread in his chest, and he started to feel like he was being choked. While he watched his life fall apart in his mind's eye, the panic attack stroke him full force. He wasn't sure if he fainted because of it or due to the unbearable piercing pain coming from his right knee, or maybe because he knew that everything was already over before it had even started.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is supposed to be a one shot.. I don't really want to write more of this because at this point I want you to think about what might happen next. Will Kageyama cut all ties with Oikawa so that at least one of them can be happy? Would Oikawa even be happy about that? Or will they get closer and ruin each other? Or will they make each other happy? It's up to you ;) Feel free to let me know what you think! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you'll have an amazing new year! <3

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Destiny](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9404462) by [titanjaeger (oikawatooruisking)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oikawatooruisking/pseuds/titanjaeger)




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